The ALS Association, along with its Western Pennsylvania Chapter, has designated the ALS Center at Allegheny Health Network as a Certified Treatment Center of Excellence. The Center, based at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH), is the only ALS treatment program in western Pennsylvania recognized by the ALS Association for meeting the highest levels of established national standards of care in the management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Allegheny Health Network’ s ALS Center will be honored at the Pittsburgh Walk to Defeat ALS event on Saturday, September 6, 2014. During the opening ceremonies at Point State Park, the ALS Association will present a Certified Treatment Center of Excellence plaque to representatives of the Network and its ALS program.

“We are extremely proud to have achieved this prestigious Center of Excellence certification,” said Sandeep Rana, MD, a neurologist and medical director of the ALS Center at AHN. “We have worked in partnership with the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the ALS Association for many years and it means a great deal to us to have both the local chapter and national ALS Association recognize our efforts to provide superior care for patients in our region.”

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. There is currently no cure for the disease.

The ALS Association offers Certified Treatment Center of Excellence designation for those institutions that meet rigorous eligibility criteria, including: diversity of professional expertise in ALS; access to coordinated, multidisciplinary care; a strong, ongoing relationship with the local ALS Association chapter; and evidence of active participation in ALS research. This designation assures people living with ALS and their families that these centers offer the highest level of evidence-based quality care and services.

“Research has shown that having physicians and other healthcare professionals collaborate to provide the most comprehensive treatment plan for patients, helps people with ALS have a better quality of life and actually prolongs life in most cases,” said Merritt Holland Spier, Executive Director of the Western Pennsylvania Chapter.

“The Western Pennsylvania Chapter works closely with and financially supports the ALS Center at Allegheny Health Network to foster an ideal care environment for the patients and families we serve.”

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About the ALS Association Western Pennsylvania Chapter

The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people living with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified and recognized treatment centers, and fostering government partnerships, the Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about the ALS Association, visit our website at http://www.cure4als.org.

About the Allegheny Health Network

Allegheny Health Network (ahn.org) is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is comprised of eight hospitals, including its flagship academic medical center Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Valley Hospital, Canonsburg Hospital, Forbes Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital, Westfield Memorial Hospital and West Penn Hospital; the Allegheny-Singer Research Institute; Health + Wellness Pavilions; and a healthcare group purchasing organization. The Network employs approximately 17,000 people, including more than 2,100 physicians on its medical staff. The Network also serves as a clinical campus for both Temple University School of Medicine and Drexel University College of Medicine.